OCI - Houston Tracker

[milk]

Hi danra123 and sailakfan,

I am in the same situation as you folks are. I am trying to call the CGI office but no success. No one is picking the phone. Looks like email is useless. May be they don't know how to use the technology. I tried the traditional snail mail for my status... no response. I am planning to drive to their office in person in couple of weeks if I don't hear from them.

BTW congrats to Milk, Pump and Ozone who had similar time line like me.

Thanks for the wishes.

It is sad to see your application not being acknowledged so far.

Houston CGI (in fact all the Indian consulates in US) is notorious for providing "BLACK BOX" services ... no one attends the phone, no one listens to the voice mails..no one responds to the emails...no one responds to the faxes...a complete shut off of the system..thats why they recommend to go with the USPS tracking number to make sure that our app is received by them..no communication thereafter...

I would send out emails on daily basis ...not just to the consulate people...but all the OCI contacts in the Indian MHA office.

I would draft a letter (use some HARSH words) and keep faxing everyday..until your application is acknowledged...

It is so pathetic not to acknowledge your application that is sent close to 2 months ago...

I tried the fax thing in last couple instances in dealing with the Houston office..not 100% sure ..but I got somewhat fast response in at least one instance.... Good Luck.

 

[ap74mo]

Hi danra123 and sailakfan,

I am in the same situation as you folks are. I am trying to call the CGI office but no success. No one is picking the phone. Looks like email is useless. May be they don't know how to use the technology. I tried the traditional snail mail for my status... no response. I am planning to drive to their office in person in couple of weeks if I don't hear from them.

BTW congrats to Milk, Pump and Ozone who had similar time line like me.

My wife was in the situation where we submitted her OCI application on June 20 and there was no acknowledgement/information or anything until Aug 10 whereas other after us were getting acknowledged. Then one fine day, we got our application back in the mail because my kid's birth certificate was missing. It left me wondering why it took them almost 2 months to figure that out.

I don't want to conclude that something maybe missing with your application that results it going into a blackhole but that is a possibility. On the positive side, once we turned her and my kids application around on Aug 12, things started moving quickly.

 

[milk]

Documents Received at HOUSTON On 02-NOV-2007

I guess I am done except driving to Houston to get the OCI card/U Sticker.

Pump/Ozone/netesh

I guess your cases also should be reflecting the same status.

FYI: Next Friday 11/9 is Diwali and Consular Holiday. DOn't plan on driving next Friday..middle of next week is good..but I will be out of town..so have to plan the week after...


Good luck to all.

 

[desi2007]

wow. that was quick. looks like houston is working hard now.saved a drive


OCI - HOUSTON
03-March07: Filled Online
13-March : Sent Part A & Part B
XX-XXX-XX: Received at Houston
13-April-07: Date Of Acknowledgment
16-April-07: Photo/Signature Scanned
12-OCT-07: Registration status Granted
14-OCT-07: Documents Printed
17-OCT-07: Documents Dispatched From Delhi
XX-XXX-XX: Documents Received at Houston
19-OCT-07:Email received from Houston to send Passports
21-OCT-07: Sent Passports to HOuston
02-NOV-07 : Passports received with U visa

 

[Pump]

Pump/Ozone/netesh

I guess your cases also should be reflecting the same status.

FYI: Next Friday 11/9 is Diwali and Consular Holiday. DOn't plan on driving next Friday..middle of next week is good..but I will be out of town..so have to plan the week after...

Good luck to all.

Hi Milk,

My case also reflects the same status. Documents received at Houston on November 2, 2007. I am planning on going there next week. I am debating whether to drive to Houston, or just send my passports through mail. I had paid them the $15 for return mail. I know that they take long time to return the passports.

I guess I am also done, except getting the U Visa stamp and OCI booklet. Good luck to everyone else waiting for their OCI.

 

[milk]

Hi Milk,

My case also reflects the same status. Documents received at Houston on November 2, 2007. I am planning on going there next week. I am debating whether to drive to Houston, or just send my passports through mail. I had paid them the $15 for return mail. I know that they take long time to return the passports.

I guess I am also done, except getting the U Visa stamp and OCI booklet. Good luck to everyone else waiting for their OCI.

It is absolutely not necessary to drive upto Houston to get the sticker unless you have vacation plans in a month or so.

We will be going on Cruise to Bahamas on 25th, so I can wait until after the vacation is done and then send it thro mail or just drive to Houston and get it stamped now. There is no way I could send the passport now and put our vacation in danger.

Since you already paid the $15, if you don't have any immediate plans (in the next 1 wk - 6 wks), then just send it thro' the mail. That should do it. Who knows it may turn up in a week. But I would add a cushion of atleast 6 weeks if there are any vacation plans. Otherwise, you can just sit back and relax and Enjoy being OCI

The Gas prices are hitting close to $3 per gallon, it will cost a whole lot in gas money (assuming you're also from DFW area) than paying Fedex for over nighter.

 

[ozone]

Status show Recieved at HOUSTON on 02-NOV-2007.

I am in Houston, so I will drop the passports in on Monday.

Thanks all for the ride!!

 

[desi2007]

pump- i dont think you need drive to there. I was also worried to send my pp's(note I am a foreigner here so without pp I am out). but they took care pretty quick sent all (wfe & kids)pps.

one piece of advice- send them a cheque for additional 15 bucks. thats what i did. just in case they have problem locating your old fee.

 

[Pump]

The Gas prices are hitting close to $3 per gallon, it will cost a whole lot in gas money (assuming you're also from DFW area) than paying Fedex for over nighter.

Hey Milk, thanks for the good advice. Yes, I am also from DFW area. It will be a bit of drive. I have no urgency. So, I will just send it through mail. One question though. I believe CGI sends an email advising us to send passport through mail. Do you think we should wait for the email before sending the passport over?

 

[Pump]

pump- i dont think you need drive to there. I was also worried to send my pp's(note I am a foreigner here so without pp I am out). but they took care pretty quick sent all (wfe & kids)pps.

one piece of advice- send them a cheque for additional 15 bucks. thats what i did. just in case they have problem locating your old fee.

Hi desi2007
It is encouraging to see you get the passports back quickly from CGI. I guess it is the additional $15 you sent that did the trick. Thanks for the advice.

 

[mvasokan]

No Acknowledgement for OCI cards

I have applied for OCI cards on 22nd Aug 2007 by US Post and it received at Houton Indian Embassy on Aug 23. Online tracking says "not yet acknowledged". No reply through telephone or email. More than two months over. Could some one can suggest what to do

Asokan, College Station

 

[milk]

Hey Milk, thanks for the good advice. Yes, I am also from DFW area. It will be a bit of drive. I have no urgency. So, I will just send it through mail. One question though. I believe CGI sends an email advising us to send passport through mail. Do you think we should wait for the email before sending the passport over?

I don't think you need to wait any more. Some people get emails and some people don't.

So per this info on their website, you can just mail your passport now.

No separate communication regarding status of OCI applications will be sent to the applicant. Once the online status indicates the date on which OCI Card reached CGI, Houston, there is no need of further confirmation on phone/fax/e-mail and the applicant can send the passports by mail or come personally. While mailing passport do not forget to write the file number in a covering letter along with the passport(s).


http://www.cgihouston.org/OCIStatus.html

 

[desi2007]

I have applied for OCI cards on 22nd Aug 2007 by US Post and it received at Houton Indian Embassy on Aug 23. Online tracking says "not yet acknowledged". No reply through telephone or email. More than two months over. Could some one can suggest what to do

Asokan, College Station

try to fax and call. try between 2-4pm central.
good luck

 

[Dump]

No Acknowlegement yet

Hi mvasokan,

I am in the same situation like you. I am planning to drive to CGI and inquire about my status and what's going on with my application.

Any suggestions folks. Anyone with similar experience?

 

[Pump]

I sent my passports to CGI Houston today. I hope that I get them back soon.

 

[Pump]

Got the email too!

I just received the email from CGI advising me to send my passports.

 

[benz2001]

Hey everybody,
I need some help, I have applied for OCI and CGI, recieved my Part A and Part B on October 5 2007 and checked my number. It is not acknoledged but others with higher numbers than mine have already been granted. Does anybody know why? Do they go in a certain order or do they pick at random? thanks

 

[cifar241]

Dump and MVAsokan,
I am in the same situation as you two are. I sent my application on 08/30/07 thru USPS.
I think the weakest link here is USPS. Since we don't get any response from CGI Houston, I think our applications are pretty much lost.
I have sent several mails/fax to CGI Houston. I have also written to the House Representative for Travis county to do something about it. I have not heard from anybody yet.
I consider the application fee is lost as well because you can't get a refund of your cashier's check. I plan to apply for PIO next year if I do not hear from them until then.
If anyone of you plan to drive up there, let me know.

 

[Dump]

No Acknowlegement yet

Hi cifar241,

I know that my application reached CGI as I sent it in Certified W/Return Signature confirmation. I got the signature confirmation.
It is just bad luck as CGI site doesn't update and let us know if something is missing with our application.

 

[sailakfan]

Hi cifar241,

I know that my application reached CGI as I sent it in Certified W/Return Signature confirmation. I got the signature confirmation.
It is just bad luck as CGI site doesn't update and let us know if something is missing with our application.

Dump,

Samething with my application too, I sent with signature confirmation and they did receive it. I think for now just wait and see.

sailakfan